


I Wanna Take You To a Gay Bar

by agrajag



Category: IT (Movies - Muschietti)
Genre: Drag Queens, Gay Bar, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-17
Updated: 2019-11-17
Packaged: 2021-02-07 14:04:34
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,788
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21459265
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/agrajag/pseuds/agrajag
Summary: "Richie, I love you, but you need to let loose. No one is going to recognize you, anyway. You're notthatwell known.""Thanks a lot asshole.""You're welcome. Dude..." Ryan wrapped his arm around Richie's shoulder and pulled him into something that somewhat resembled a hug. A guy who was walking passed them told them they were cute, and Richie wanted to die. "I love you, but I don't love you like that. So I'm going to do the next best thing, and be your wingman.""You're too straight for that," Richie mumbled.
Kudos: 17





	I Wanna Take You To a Gay Bar

**Author's Note:**

> i mean now that i know that richie lives in my city i had to write him enjoying our super awesome gay scene that's literally all this is

When Richie had dreamed of his future, he had always imagined that he would end up in Los Angeles. That was where Hollywood was, and he wanted to be a comedian, so it had only made sense. But that wasn't how it happened. He ended up in Chicago instead, which was actually the fucking worst because he had moved right at the end of summer, and had not been prepared for winter. The entirety of November he spent wearing literally every single sweater he owned because his coat wasn't thick enough to protect him from the subzero wind chill. But he started getting paid gigs, he bought some new clothes, and Chicago started to grow on him.  
  
The comedy scene in the city was actually super awesome. There were clubs in pretty much every neighborhood, so Richie found himself getting to know every inch of the city. He was honestly surprised that Chicago wasn't more well known for it, but he could understand how hot dogs over shone all of that the first time he had a Chicago style dog. He thought about all those times he put only ketchup on his hot dogs at summer cook outs, and he felt ashamed. Like, hot dogs were actually good? He never had known that. He had been missing out.  
  
He was at a Maxwell's, getting himself several hot dogs and fries, after a show. He had gotten fairly tipsy thanks to the drinks that several of the audience members had bought for him, and what he needed now more than anything was grease. His manager slash agent slash "I do everything because you're literally only just starting out Richie, you don't have the money for this" Ryan had already received his order and was sitting outside, stuffing his face with his burger. Richie joined him once he got his food, eating the stray fries that had fallen out in the bag.  
  
"So, I'm going to be taking the Orange Line," Richie said, chewed up bits of potato flying. "What about you? We can walk together."  
  
"Richie, it's barely eleven. We should go out and celebrate. You actually put on a good show."  
  
"Wow, thanks dude. You make it sound like I'm usually terrible or something."  
  
"Well, sometimes you _are_ pretty terrible," Ryan said as he pointed a finger at Richie. He finished up his burger and tossed his bag into a trashcan nearby. "You have to admit that."  
  
"You're the worst. So what were you thinking in terms of 'celebrating?' Can I bring my food or do I have to, like, inhale it?"  
  
"Oh, you have time to eat while we walk. We've got a bit of a trek ahead of us."  
  
Richie managed to finish his food as they walked up to the Orange Line station and he thankfully only got a little relish on his wallet as he went digging for his transit card. Ryan refused to tell him where they were going, so Richie followed him as he got off at the Roosevelt station, transferred to the Red Line, and then walked several blocks down Halsted. At this point, Richie noticed there were a lot of rainbow flags in the display windows of stores and pretty much every person they passed was a guy wearing far less clothing then they should be considering how cold it was.  
  
"Ryan, seriously man, where are you taking me?" Richie asked as he kept checking over his shoulder.  
  
"Only the best gay bar in the city," Ryan replied, voice light as if he didn't just admit he was bringing Richie's worst nightmare to life.  
  
And it was even worse because he _knew_ Richie didn't want to come out publicly while his career was starting to take off.  
  
"Are you fucking kidding me? I told you that in confidence."  
  
"Richie, I love you, but you need to let loose. No one is going to recognize you, anyway. You're not _that_ well known."  
  
"Thanks a lot asshole."  
  
"You're welcome. Dude..." Ryan wrapped his arm around Richie's shoulder and pulled him into something that somewhat resembled a hug. A guy who was walking passed them told them they were cute, and Richie wanted to die. "I love you, but I don't love you like that. So I'm going to do the next best thing, and be your wingman."  
  
"You're too straight for that," Richie mumbled.  
  
They had apparently reached their destination at this point and Ryan led him into a bar called Roscoe's. And Richie only knew this because of the flag that was tacked up on the side. The place didn't even have a real sign. How could it be the best gay bar in the city? He looked around once his eyes had adjusted to the dark and the bar looked like every other bar he had ever gone to in his life. Another quick glance over his shoulder revealed a terrible life sized statue of a Native American, and that was distasteful even in his eyes. Ryan ordered them each a cheap beer and grabbed Richie's arm once more.  
  
"Well, you're never going to find me a man if you can't keep your hands off of me," Richie shouted.  
  
God, he could barely hear himself over the awful pop music that was blaring out of the speakers.  
  
"We're gonna have some fun before we worry about that. There should be someone performing right now."  
  
"Performing?"  
  
Ryan pulled Richie down a short but wide hallway, through another smaller bar, and into a room with a make shift stage. This area was far more backed then the front had been, and the people were cheering loudly because on stage there was a drag queen putting on a rather enthusiastic performance of My Heart Will Go On.  
  
A fucking drag queen.  
  
"I'm not _that_ gay, Ryan," he said as he rolled his eyes.  
  
"Dude, don't be a dick. Get in touch with your community. I'm not saying _you_ have to put on a pair of pumps yourself, but drag performers are important, you know? Plus it's fucking fun, so stop thinking so much."  
  
Ryan left his side and Richie started to panic. He watched as Ryan made his way to the edge of the stage and handed the drag queen a dollar bill. She leaned down and kissed the top of his head and he tilted his drink as he laughed. He looked so free, but then again, he was straight. When he went home later that night, he got to leave this all behind. Richie couldn't just turn off the fact that he was gay. If someone he knew saw him here, that was it. From them on, he was always going to be "the gay comedian" and that wasn't what he wanted.  
  
And that was the least of his worries, after all. Chicago may be more accepting than Derry, but there were people like Henry Bowers everywhere. He could be jumped on his way home. He could end up another fucking statistic, and that wasn't how he wanted to be remembered.  
  
"You're thinking too much," Ryan said when he returned. "How about you drink some more?"  
  
"As my manager, you probably shouldn't be encouraging alcoholism. Or maybe you should. Most comedians are alcoholics, aren't they?"  
  
"God, you're such a wet blanket. I'm getting you another beer."  
  
Unfortunately, despite Richie not wanting to be that guy, after he had a few more drinks he finally let loose. They stayed to watch the rest of the show, and three more drag queens performed. Some lip synced while others actually sang. A few told jokes in between songs, and Ryan joked that Richie should try and learn a thing or two from them. Once the show was over, the stage was lowered and the whole room turned into a dance floor. They were playing something more akin to techno than the pop that had played in the bar proper, and while it still wasn't the kind of music Richie would put on himself, he dragged Ryan out to dance. Eventually, a guy cut in, and Richie found himself grinding on him. He let himself get a little handsy, but when the guy leaned down and whispered a rather tempting proposition in his ear, Richie kindly turned him down. They still danced for a few more songs before the guy handed Richie a piece of paper with his number and said good night.  
  
Richie found Ryan back at the bar talking to a couple. He joined them for one more drink, and then Ryan was pulling his arm once more. He took him across the street to a diner where they could fill their stomachs with even more greasy food.  
  
"I wish we had got here earlier," Ryan said after the waitress had taken their order. "There's several thrift stores and there's the drag shop, Beatnix, across the street which has a lot of really crazy stuff. They sell a lot of shirts that I think would fit right in with your style. Don't give me that look. It's not all drag stuff."  
  
"I wasn't giving a look," Richie protested, but he knew he had been giving a look. "Sorry. I mean, tonight was great. But I'm just still working on it, you know? One night isn't going to magically make all things better. One night hanging out in a gay bar doesn't mean that I'm going to come out now."  
  
"I'm not trying to force you to come out. That would be really shitty of me to do. But I'd like to think I'm not just your manager... slash agent slash..."  
  
"Yeah, I get it."  
  
"But I like to think I'm your friend, too. And I want you to be able to be happy. Despite popular belief, being sad doesn't automatically make you a better comedian."  
  
The waitress returned with their food at this point, so Richie waited a moment as she set their plates down, and then continued after they had said thank you.  
  
"I don't know. It's been working for me so far. Who am I if I'm not the guy joking about being depressed and sex?"  
  
"You could be the guy who's joking about being happy and gay sex."  
  
"I mean, I'm already doing that because obviously any sex I'm having is gay. I just don't want to have to have the 'gay' in front of it, you know?  
  
""Well, like I said earlier, think about it. And I'll be here when you're ready."  
  
Richie smiled.  
  
"Thanks Ryan."  
  
Richie definitely didn't see himself being ready in any way any time soon, but if he found himself back in Boystown a few weeks later, then that was a good first step, right?


End file.
